When Harry Met Pansy
by Mia Thomas
Summary: What if Harry had met Pansy, instead of Draco in Madam Malkins? OOC Pansy, Harry/Pansy Ron,Ginny,Molly Bashing
1. Chapter 1

Harry and Hagrid stood outside the Leaky Cauldron. For a famous place, it was very old and shabby. A few old women were sitting in the corner drinking there glasses of sherry, one of them smoking from a long pipe. A little man with a hat was talking to the old barman who was quite bald and looked like a gummy walnut. The low buzz of chatter stopped when Hagrids imposing form entered the pub.

Everyone seemed to know Hagrid; they waved and smiled at him and the barman reached for a glass, saying, "The usual, Hagrid?"

"Can't Tom I'm on Hogwarts Business." Said Hagrid, clapping his great hand on Harry's shoulder drawing the barman's attention to him

"Good lord" he said. "is this - can this be - ?"

The whole pub went completely still and silent

"Bless my soul," whispered the man. "Harry Potter - what an honour!"

he rushed out from behind the bar and grabbed his hand tears falling from his eyes

"Welcome back , welcome back!

Harry didn't know what to say, everyone in the pub was staring at him until collectively they all got up with scraping chairs and he found hismelf shaking hands with the entire pub

"Doris Crockford, can't believe I'm meeting you at last."

"So proud, , just so proud."

"Delighted, , simply delighted just can't tell you, Diggles the name Dedalus Diggle"

"I've seen you before!" said Harry, as Dedalus' top hat fell off in excitement "You bowed to me in a shop once."

"He remembers!" cried Dedalus Diggle, looking around at every one. "Did you hear that? He remembers me!"

Harry shook hands again and again - Doris Crockford kept coming back for more

A pale young man made his way forward, very nervously. One of his eyes was twitching.

"Professor Quirrell!" said Hagrid "Harry, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts."

"P-P-Potter," stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping Harry's hand, "c-cant t-tell you how p-pleased, I am to meet you."

"What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?"

"D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts," muttered Professor Quirrell, as though he'd rather not think about it "N-not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potter?" He laughed nervously "You'll be getting all your equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampire, m-myself." He looked utterly terrified at the thought of it.

But the others wouldn't let Professor Quirrell keep Harry to himself. It took almost ten minutes to get away from them all. At last, Hagrid managed to make himself heard over the babble.

"Must get on - lots ter buy. Come on, Harry."

Doris Crockford shook Harry's hand one last time and Hagrid led them through the bar and out into a small walled courtyard, where there was but a dustbin and a few weeds.

Hagrid grinned at Harry. "Told yeh, didn't I? Told yeh you was famous. Even professor Quirrell was tremblin' ter meet yeh – mind you, he's usually tremblin'."

"Is he always so… nervous?"

"Oh, yeah, Poor bloke. Brilliant mind. He was fine while he was studyin' outta books but then he took a year off ter get some firsthand experience… They say he met vampires in the Black Forest and there was a nasty bit o' trouble with a hag – never been the same since. Scared of the student, scared of his own subject – now where's me umbrella?"

Vampires? Hags? Harry's head was swimming. Hagrid, meanwhile, was counting bricks in the wall above the dustbin

"Let's see here… three up…two across…" he muttered. "Righ', stand back Harry."

He tapped the wall three times with the point of his umbrella

The brick he had touched quivered – it wriggled – in the middle, a small hole appeared – it grew wider and wider until they were facing an archway tall enough even for Hagrid, an archway which lead to a cobbled street which twisted and turned out of sight.

He grinned at Harry's amazement. They stepped through the archway. Harry looked quickly over his shoulder and saw the archway shrink instantly back into solid wall.

The sun shone brightly on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop. _Cauldron – All Sizes – Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver – Self Stirring – Collapsible_ said a sign hanging over them

"Yeah, you'll be needin' one" said Hagrid "but we gotta get yer money first."

Harry wished he had about eight more eyes. He turned his head in every direction as they walked up the street, trying to look at everything at once: the shops, the things outside them, the people doing their shopping. A plump woman outside an apothecary was shaking her head as they passed, saying, "Dragon liver, sixteen sickles an ounce, they're mad…"

A low , soft hooting came from a dark shop with a sign saying "Eeylops Owl Emporium – _Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown and Snowy._

Several boys of about Harry's age had their noses pressed against a window with broomsticks in it, "Look!" Harry heard on of them say " the new Nimbus Two Thousand – Fastest ever –"

There were shops selling robes he would need a lot from there if he wanted out of his cousins clothes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments Harry had never seen before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleen and eels' eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon…"

"Gringotts." said Hagrid

They had reached a white building of marble which towered over the other little shops. Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold was –

"Yeah, that's a goblin," said Hagrid quietly as they walked up the white stone steps towards him. The goblin was about a head shorter than Harry. He had a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard and, Harry noticed, very long fingers and feet, he bowed as they walked inside. Now they were facing a second pair of doors, silver this time, with words engraved upon them:

_Enter stranger, but take heed_

_Of what awaits the sin of greed_

_For those who take, but do not earn_

_Must pay most dearly in their turn_

_So if you seek beneath our floors_

_A treasure that was never yours_

_Thief, you have been warned, beware_

_Of finding more than treasure there_

"Like I said yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it," said Hagrid

A pair of goblins bowed them through the silver doors and they were in a vast marble hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind long counters to the sides, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins on brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more goblins were showing people in and out of these. Hagrid and Harry made for the counter

"Mornin'," said hagrid to a free goblin. "we've come ter take some money outta Mr. Harry Potter's vault.

"You have his key I trust?"

"Got it here somewhere," said Hagrid and he started emptying his pockets onto the counter, scattering handfuls of mouldy dog-biscuits over the goblin's book of numbers. The goblin wrinkled his nose and sneered at Hagrid. Harry watched the goblin on their right weighing a pile of rubies as big as glowing coals.

"Got it," said Hagrid at last, holding up a tiny golden key.

The goblin looked at it closely.

"That seems to be in order."

"An' I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore," said Hagrid importantly, throwing out his chest "It's about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen."

The goblin read the letter carefully

"Very well," he said, handing the letter back to Hagrid, "I will have someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!"

Griphook was yet another goblin. Once Hagrid had crammed all the dog-biscuits inside his pockets, he and Harry followed Griphook towards one of the doors leading off the hall.

"What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen Hagrid?" Harry asked.

"Can't tell yeh that Harry," said Hagrid mysteriously "Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n me job's worth ter tell yeh that."

Griphook held the door open for them. Harry, who had expected more marble, was surprised. They were in a narrow stone passage-way lit with flaming torches. It sloped steeply downwards and there were little railway tracks on the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart came hurtling up the tracks towards them. They climbed in – Hagrid with some difficulty – and were off.

They hurtled through a maze of passageways, left, left, right, left, right, right, the rattling cart seemed to know its own way because the goblin wasn`t steering.

Harry`s eyes stung as the cold air rushed past them, but he kept them wide open when he saw a burst of fire at the of the passageway and turned to see if it was a dragon, but too late.

Hagrid looked very green when the cart stopped at last beside a small door in the passage wall, Hagrid got out and had to lean against the wall to stop his knees trembling.

Griphook unlocked the door and Harry gasped, inside the vault was a mound of gold the size of a swimming pool, large columns of silver and bronze on the sides of the vault.

"All your," smiled Hagrid.

All Harry's – it was incredible. The Dursleys couldn't possibly know about this or they'd have had it from him faster than he could blink. They often complained how much it cost to keep Harry and all that time there had been a large fortune belonging to him, buried deep underneath London.

Hagrid helped Harry pile handfuls of gold into a small bag that couldn't possibly fit it all but somehow did.

"The gold ones are Galleons," he explained. "Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a sickle, easy enough." He turned to Griphook. "Vault seven hundred and thirteen now, please, and can we go more slowly?

"One speed only," said Griphook with a nasty grin on his face.

They went even deeper and were gathering speed until they reached the vault and Hagrid jumped out quickly holding his stomach. Vault seven hundred and thirteen had no keyhole.

"Stand back," said Griphook importantly. He stroked the door gently with one of his long fingers and it simply melted away

"If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they'd be sucked through the door and trapped in there," said Griphook.

"How often do you check to see if anyone's inside?" Harry asked.

"About once every ten years," said Griphook with a cross between a grimace and a smile.

Something really extraordinary had to be in this top-security vault he was certain, so he lent forward eagerly to see, expecting some fabulous jewels at the very least but all he saw was a grubby little package wrapped in brown paper lying on the floor. Hagrid picked it up and tucked it deep inside his coat. Harry longed to know what it was but knew better than to ask.

"Come on, back in this infernal cart, and don't talk to me on the way back, it's best if I keep me mouth shut, or I'm gonna be sick." Said Hagrid.

One wild cart-ride later, they stood blinking in the sunlight outside Gringotts. "Migh' as well get yer uniform," said Hagrid, nodding towards _Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions_. "Listen, Harry, would yeh mind if I slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them damn Gringotts carts." He did still look a bit sick, so Harry entered Madam Malkin's shop alone, feeling nervous.

Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.

"Hogwarts, dear?" she said when Harry started to speak. "Got the lot here – a young girl is being fitted up just now, in fact."

In the back of the shop, a petite girl with short black hair was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up her long black robes. Madam Malkin stood Harry on a stool next to him, slipped a long rove over his head and began to pin it to the right length.

"Hello," said the girl, "Hogwarts too?" she had a really nice voice

"Yes," said Harry.

"My daddy's next door buying my books – oh I'm sorry how rude of me. I'm Pansy. Pansy Parkinson."

Harry remembering peoples reaction to his name hesitated telling her his real name, but he didn't want to lie

"Er, Harry Potter." Holding out his hand

The girls eyes widened and flicked up to his forehead where his scar was and her jaw dropped open. He snickered and she blushed and shook his hand

"Do you know what house you'll be in? I'm hoping for Ravenclaw but I think my daddy wants me to be in Slytherin like him and mother were."

"Er, House? Isn't it a castle?"

She giggled, "No silly, don't you know anything about Hogwarts?"

He blushed "No I grew up with muggles. It wasn't very pleasant they hated magic…"

Her eyes widened "You grew up with muggles? How strange, well, the houses are were you get sorted in school. Slytherin is for the cunning and ambitious but people think you turn dark if you get in that house, Gryffindor is for the brave and reckless, Hufflepuff for the loyal and hardworking and Ravenclaw for the studious and smart."

He pondered the houses, they all seemed alright he didn't really have any preferences but he might try for Ravenclaw to be with his new friend.

A tap on the window brought attention to Hagrid standing outside the window with two ice-creams pointing to them showing he couldn't come in.

"Do you know him?" Pansy asked

"Yeah, that's Hagrid, he worked at Hogwarts."

"Oh," said Pansy "He looks rather scary doesn't he." She said with wide eyes

He laughed, "Yeah he does but he's really nice."

Madam Malkin turned to him, "That's you done dear."

He turned to Pansy, "Er, would you like to come with me and get our books and wands?"

She smiled at him "Sure! I don't think my daddy will mind he's looking at the books right now."

He grinned in return, he had never had a friend

They walked out of the shop and Hagrid handed him his ice-cream. "Who's yer friend Harry?"

"Oh, this is Pansy Parkinson she's going to finish shopping with us." When he told Hagrid her name he looked at her with distrust but grudgingly accepted to let her come "Righ' then books first I suppose."

They went into a store called _Flourish and Blotts_ where the shelved where piled high with books.

Pansy walked up to an imposing man who stood at around 6 feet, "Daddy, did you get my books?"

He turned around and smiled down at his daughter "Yes pumpkin I did but – " He noticed harry standing beside his daughter and raised a single brow "And who's this? A new friend?" he seemed really happy about this

Pansy nodded her head, "Yeah, we met in the robe shop."

Pansy's father held his hand out to him "Marcus Parkinson, pleased to meet you."

He shook his hand, well his hand got swallowed up by his, "Harry Potter, sir."

His eyes widened and, like everyone else, flicked up to his forehead to look at his scar

He shifted uncomfortably and this shook him out of his shock "My apologies Mr. Potter, I was just shocked you would be making friends with my daughter."

Why wouldn't he make friends with her? She was nice to him didn't call him freak like the other children his age "Why wouldn't I Mr. Parkinson?"

He looked unsure how to answer him "Well… My family is often called dark because of my father, pansy's grandfather's involvement in the last war. He pledged the entire house loyal to Voldemort so people blame us as well.

He frowned, "People shouldn't judge you on your families, I know I wouldn't want to be judged on mine.." this got a raised eyebrow

"Harry lives with muggles daddy." Pansy explained to her father

"I see." was all Marcus said.

Hagrid came back with a stack of books "That's yer books all done Harry, now alls we need is yer wand."

Harry turned to Pansy and her father "Would you like to come with us?" Pansy turned to her father with puppy dog eyes "Please daddy can we?"

Her father looked to Hagrid sceptically but nodded his head

The shop was narrow and shabby with peeling gold letters over the door read _Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC._ A single wand lay on a purple plush cushion in the dusty window.

It was a small shop and the walls were all filled to the ceiling with narrow boxes. "Harry I jus' need ter go buy somethin' I forgot about it, ill just be a mo'," said Hagrid

"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. Harry jumped and Pansy who was in front of him jumped back in fright knocking him to the ground.

He blinked in shock and he heard Marcus' laughter. Pansy jumped up apologizing while blushing bright red, he grinned at her and she smiled back at him.

The man with wiry greying hair smiled at him and apologized for scaring them "Now, wands, wands, who's first?"

"You go first I don't mind waiting," he told Pansy. She smiled at him and stepped forward

"Good, good, Ms. Parkinson, yes, your mother 13'' mahogany and your father," his eyes flicked to Marcus " 9'' yew, pliable excellent for charms."

"Now, my dear, what arms is your wand arm?" Ollivander asked her

"Well, I write with my left hand," said Pansy.

Ollivander nodded and started to measure every inch of Pansy who looked uncomfortable, which caused Harry to grin

Pansy saw him grinning and shot him a glare but was trying not to smile

Ollivander walked to the wall of boxes and started pulling out boxes and piling them up until they had at least 20

Pansy tried wand after wand until on the 12th one she found a match

"Ahh! 13 ½ '' Yew with a phoenix feather core."

"And now, Mr. Potter your wand arm is?" questioned Ollivander

"Er, my right I suppose."

Ollivander started to measure him like h did pansy which cause her to start giggling at his disgruntled look. He walked in the back and pulled out about 50 boxes and he started handing him wands. None of them worked. Harry was dismayed, what if they couldn't find him a wand? Then he would be stuck with the Dursleys.

"Hmm… I wonder…" Ollivander walked into a side alley of boxes and pulled out a wand "Try this Mr. Potter."

Once he grabbed the wand he knew, this was it, this was his wand, it filled him with warmth all the way to his toes.

"13 ½ '' Holly with a phoenix feather core." He glanced at Pansy "It just so happens, that the phoinex that gave the feather for your wand gave one other feather. And it now resides in Ms. Parkinsons wand."

His eyes widened and he looked at Pansy "So we have matching wands?"

"In a sense yes, your wand compliment each other perfectly."

Pansy smiled at Harry and he smiled back. They didn't see Marcus' wide eyed stare between them both

They left the shop and ran into Hagrid who had a cage with a beautiful snowy owl in it "Harry, done I see, got yeh a present."

His eyes widened " Thank you Hagrid, what's its name?"

"It's a girl and, well, I'll let you decide her name, but we best be gettin' on I need ter see Dumbledore," patting his breast pocket where the package from vault seven hundred and thirteen lay

"Oh, alright," he said disappointed. He turned to Pansy and her father "I guess I'll see you on the train then? I'll save you a seat."

Pansy smiled but seemed disappointed as well, and reached over and gave him a hug which caused him to blush and bid their goodbyes.


	2. Chapter 2

It seemed like an eternity until September the first, but it had finally come and Harry had even convinced his uncle to drive him to the train station promising he wouldn't see Harry for 9 months.

They reached King's Cross at half past ten. Uncle Vernon surprised him by dumping Harry's trunk onto a trolley and wheeling it to the station for him, but he figured he was just too excited at having 9 freak-less months. His uncle stopped dead, facing the platform with a nasty grin, "Well, there you are boy, Platform nine – Platform ten, but they don't seem to have yours built yet do they? Have a good term." and left without another word.

What was he going to do now? Hagrid didn't tell him how to get onto the Platform, it must be something like Diagon Alley… Perhaps he should start tapping the bricks with his wand?

That train of thought ended when he saw a dumpy sort of women with red hair ask loudly "Now, what's the platform number?"

"Nine and three-quarters!" piped a small girl, also with red hair who was holding the womans hand. "Mummy can't I go…" she whined

"No Ginevra! Enough asking you can go next year" the mother snapped, "Alright Percy, you first."

The oldest looking boy of the group ran full tilt at the wall with his trolley, Harry wide eyed thinking this family was mad gasped when the boy vanished into the wall.

"Fred, you next," the plump woman said.

"I'm not Fred, I'm George", said the boy "honestly woman you call yourself our mother."

"Sorry, George, dear."

"M' only jokin', I am Fred" said the boy and rushed forward at the wall, his twin behind him and they were gone too.

She sighed "Come on Ron, Ginny, let's go." And Grabbed the lanky boys trolley for him and they ran into the wall.

There was nothing else for it. He would have to run headfirst into the wall and hope he didn't crash and make a fool of himself. He took a deep breath and with determined eyes ran at the wall repeating in his mind 'don't crash, don't crash, don't crash.'

No impact came. He opened his eyes to a scarlet steam engine waiting on the Platform which was packed with people. A sign overhead read _Hogwarts Express, 11 o'clock._

The first few carriages on the train were packed with students some hanging out there windows to talk to their families, some fighting over seats.

Harry pressed through the crowd until he found an empty compartment near the end of the train. He put Hedwig inside first and then started to shove his trunk into the compartment and tried to heave his trunk up into the compartments ahead but could barely lift one end up.

"Want a hand?" It was the red haired twins he had followed through the wall.

"Yes, please." He said gratefully

"Oi! Fred! C'mere and help me."

With the twins' help he managed to stow it above his head and sat down on the seat panting

"Thanks a lot." And the twins nodded at him

"I'm George, and this is my partner in crime Fred," he introduced

He was about to tell them his name when the dumpy woman from before called them.

It took another 10 minutes for the train to start moving and his excitement increased. It was finally happening he was going to Hogwarts. He briefly wondered where Pansy was, they were supposed to meet up together but was distracted when he heard a voice

"Anyone sitting here?" pointing to the seat opposite to Harry, "Everywhere else is full."

Another red head of course, he just shrugged not really caring

"My names Ron. Ron Weasley."

"Harry Potter." At this the boys eyes widened and his jaw was hanging open.

Harry sighed, this was starting to get annoying.

"Blimey! Are you really?"

Harrys eyebrow twitched "No I'm the ruddy Queen of England." He said sarcasticly rolling his eyes

The boy turned red that clashed horribly with his hair "Sorry. Do you have the er… the" and gestured upwards

He raised an eyebrow "The scar? Yes I do…" and pulled his bangs up

His eyes widened again "Blimey that's where You-Know-Who – ? Do you remember anything?" He asked excitedly

Harry's eyes narrowed. "Do I remember the night my mother and father were murdered in their own home not 22 feet from me? Who the hell asks something like that?" he hissed

The boy turned red again, but he didn't want to stay in there with that idiot and he needed to find pansy so he grabbed his trunk and walked down the hallway looking in the compartments for Pansy

He finally found her in the very end compartment sitting alone looking like someone had killed her cat. He slid the door open and she snapped "look Malfoy one more word and I'm going to – " she noticed him "Harry!" jumping up and hugging him and tugging him to sit down beside her.

"I was wondering where you were… I thought you had forgotten we were going to sit together." She said frowning

He rubbed the back of his neck "Sorry, I was in a compartment with some idiot, Wembley or Weasel or something." He apologized and grabbed her hand

She smile shyly back at him but her eyes narrow "Was his name Weasley? Red hair?" she bit out

"Er, yeah… do you er know him?" he hoped she wasn't friends with him

"Yes." She ground out "That damn mother of hers is always going on about my family being Voldemorts number one supporter."

"Well, I think he's an idiot," squeezing her hand "and your dad definitely wasn't a bad man."

She smiled back at him "Thanks Har."

"Har?" he questioned

She blushed a deep red "Sorry, it's just a nickname I mad up, but it's stupid I won't – "

"Pansy, It's fine I like it, but only if I get to call you Pans."

She tested how it sounded on her tongue and decided she liked it and grinned at him

"Alright I like it."

The compartment door slid open again and a pale blond boy and two much bigger boys that looked very mean

"I'm looking for Harry Potter have either of you two seen – Oh… It's you pug face. Not seen Potter have you then? I doubt he would sully himself with your company," he sneered

Harry saw red and leaped up and snarled at him "Don't talk to her like that you stringy little tosser!" clenching his fists

The boy was taken aback but pushed the two larger boys towards him "Teach these two rats a lesson boys." He grinned

He felt his chest tighten and an explosion of light shot from his chest into the three boys. Harrys eyes widened before he felt really weak and slowly faded into black.


	3. Chapter 3

Harry drifted awake but didn't open his eyes. He was lying on a warm soft pillow with someone's fingers running through his hair. It felt nice; Harry wasn't used to people touching him but it felt right with who he assumed was Pansy. He blinked his eyes open and was met with Pansy smiling tenderly down at him. She blinked when she saw he was awake and a faint dusting of pink spread across her cheeks but she kept up her ministrations.

"Hey," he said grinning up at her

"Hey," she whispered, "Are you okay? You…well you passed out after you threw Malfoy out… I was so worried you wouldn't wake up." Her lower lip trembled

"I'm fine Pan, I promise."

She looked doubtful and opened her mouth to say something but the compartment door slid open

A girl, already in her Hogwarts robes opened her mouth but stopped when she saw the position we were in and her cheeks tinted pink.

Harry raised his head off of Pansy's lap and gave a wide smile to the girl which caused her blush to intensify. Pansy's scowl went unnoticed.

"May we help you? My name is Harry Potter, and this is my best friend Pansy Parkinson," motioning to Pansy.

She coughed before saying in a bossy voice "Have either of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville has lost one,"

Pansy raised an eyebrow, "Why would he bring a toad in the first place. I'd lose it as soon as I could if it were me."

Harry smirked at Pansy before turning to the girl again "No, we've not seen a toad, but I didn't catch your name."

"Hermione Granger," she said importantly, holding out her hand for him to shake, but he picked it up and kissed her middle knuckle which cause Pansy to glare at her venomously which Harry saw.

"Did you want anything else?" Pansy interjected rudely, which caused Harry to turn his head to hide his smile.

Hermione looked taken aback by Pansy's rude question and shook her head no before leaving quickly, she didn't like the look of the glare she was being sent.

Harry was smiling amusedly at Pansy which caused her to smile sheepishly back, and he lowered his head back onto her lap.

He was dozing in and out before Pansy's hand rested on his head and she called his name

"We need to get our uniforms on Harry, were almost at Hogsmeade," she told him

He nodded getting up and grabbing his uniform and leaving the compartment to give her some privacy. He quickly changed and finished just as Pansy opened the compartment door as he heard a female voice say loudly from the ceiling,

"_We are arriving at Hogsmeade Station, please leave all luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."_

He and Pansy pushed through the narrow hallway of the train and out into the crisp night air of the station. He heard a familiar voice shouting: "Firs'-years, this way please, firs'-years o'er here with me!" Hagrid was waving a dustbin sized hand around with a lantern in his other hand.

He grabbed Pansy's hand so they wouldn't get separated in the crowd and pushed through to Hagrid

"Alrigh' there Harry? An' you too Parkinson." He frowned, Hagrid sounded much less friendly when he addressed Pansy.

Hagrid led them down a narrow and steep path, that caused many to stumble into others it was so dark.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts right 'ere in a sec, jus' round this bend here," motioning ahead.

There were many gasps and 'Oooohs' from behind him and he gazed in wonder at the magnificent castle with many windows and turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat!" pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. He and Pansy, still holding hands walked to the boat nearest to them and were joined by two other witches, a blonde haired blue eyed girl and a brown haired green eyed girl. He was about to ask their named but he was interrupted by Hagrid shouting, "Everyone in? Righ' then – FORWARD!"

The fleet of boats sailed forwards at once gliding across the lake which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent as they gazed at their destination in wonder.

"Heads down!" shouted Hagrid as they neared the cliff of the castle.

They all stopped at once on the shore and everyone got out and followed Hagrid up a flight of stone steps and stopped at a huge, oak front door.

Hagrid raised his hand and banged three times on the door.

The door swung open immediately and a tall, black haired witch, in emerald green robes stood there she had a very stern face and Harry thought she was not someone you wanted to cross.

"The firs'-years, Professors Mcgonagall," said Hagrid

"Thank you Hagrid, i will take them from here."

She pulled the door wide to reveal a massive entrance hall, with marble stairs leading to upper levels on one side and a door which you could hear the drone of hundreds of voices behind it. Professor Mcgonagall led them to a small empty chamber off the side of the hall and they crowded in standing rather close together

"Welcome, to Hogwarts," said Professor Mcgonagall, "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you can take your seats in the Great Hall, you must be sorted into your houses. Your houses, whilst here at Hogwarts are very important. While you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will sleep in your House dormitory's and spend your free time in your House common rooms. The four houses, are Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Slytherin. Your triumphs will earn you house points. Any wrong-doings," She looked at them all sternly "Will lose you house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will be awarded the House Cup which is a great honour. I hope you will all do credit to your houses. The sorting ceremony will begin shortly, in front of the entire school and I suggest your smarten yourselves up," she cast a critical eye on everyone, before she turned on her heal and left.

People began to converse quietly about how they would be sorted, Ron Weasley was boasting loudly to a boy with short hair and a dark skinned boy, "My brothers told me we had to fight a troll to see what house you'll be in."

People around him who heard were looking much more nervous, and people behind him screamed, honestly they couldn't think the idiot was right, but a boy beside him pointed up and he saw what they were screaming at

Ghosts, floating through the wall pearly white, and slightly transparent, conversing with one another.

"My dear Friar, we've given Peeves all the chances he deserves, he gives us all a bad name, and hes technically not even a ghost – I say, what are you all doing here?"

A ghost wearing a ruff and tights suddenly noticed the first years.

Nobody answered.

"New students?" said the Fat Friar, "Hope to see you in Hufflepuff, my old house you know."

"Move along," said a sharp voice, "The sorting ceremony is about to begin." And led them to the door where they heard the hundreds of people before. The doors opened on their own as she approached and she led them past two rows of tables up to a stool with a patchy and frayed old hat sitting on it.

A rip near the brim of the hat opened up like a mouth and the hat began to sing,

"_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall_,

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see_,

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true and unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_If you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning_,

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. Several of the first years wore looks of awe and surprise as they clapped. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward and unrolled the roll of parchment she had been carrying.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause, "HUFFLEPUFF!" Shouted the hat.

The second table to the left clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" Shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah wearing a grin.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The table second from the right clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers

"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin.

"Corner, Michael."

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The curly haired boy walked over to the cheering table.

"Cornfoot, Stephen."

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Crabbe, Vincent."

"SLYTHERIN."

The large boy walked awkwardly to the Slytherin table.

"Davis, Tracey!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

The girl who he shared a boat with walked to the Slytherin table.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

A boy with dark brown hair walked up nervously to the stool.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Goldstein, Anthony."

The blonde boy walked up to the stool and McGonagall put the hat on his head.

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.

"RAVENCLAW!" Shouted the hat, and the Ravenclaws cheered.

"Greengrass, Daphne!"

The other girl in their boat walked up to the stool and after a moment the hat shouted, "SLYTHERIN!"

"Goyle, Gregory."

"SLYTHERIN."

"Li, Sue."

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Longbottom, Neville." he fell over on his way to the stool causing Malfoy to snort. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to Morag MacDougal who was sorted into Hufflepuff.

"Macmillan, Ernie."

A boy with a pompous expression and dark hair walked up to the stool.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Malfoy swaggered up to the hat when his name was called and the moment the hat touched his head it shouted out, "SLYTHERIN!" He walked to the Slytherin table with a slight limp which caused Harry to smirk.

"Parkinson, Pansy."

Pansy walked up to the stool after a reassuring squeeze of his hand by Harry and put the hat on. It took almost two minutes before the hat shouted out,

"SLYTHERIN!"

Not unexpected, he supposed but he would have preferred she be nowhere near Malfoy.

Two twins, were next, one Padma Patil going to Ravenclaw, and Parvati Patil going to Gryffindor. Sally-Anne Perks was sorted into Ravenclaw, and then,

"Potter, Harry!"

"_Potter,_ did she say?"

"_The_ Harry Potter?"

Harry walked up the hat and placed it on his head, and he heard a small voice in his head

"My, My, very difficult. Yes very difficult. Plenty of courage I see, not a bad mind either, theirs talent, oh yes, incredible loyalty to those who prove themselves to you and a cunningness to get what you want. But where to put you? You would fit well in any house, but Slytherin would be best. It will lead you on your way to greatness, there's no doubt."

"SLYTHERIN!"


End file.
